1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a four wheeled vehicle or buggy for use in carrying loads on a stock farm, agricultural land or wasteland, and, more particularly, to a novel front body for a four wheeled vehicle having a round steering wheel and operated by a driver in a sitting posture.
2. Prior Art
Three or four wheeled buggies have been developed as small size vehicles suitable for use in travelling over a stock farm, agricultural land or wasteland. Such vehicles are driven by a driver who assumes a horseback riding posture, as in the case of a motorcycle, and are steered by using a handle bar-like steering means. Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 66089/1986 discloses one example of such buggies.
These vehicles driven by a driver in a horseback riding posture, however, suffer from problems in that they cannot provide a driver with easy access to the seat. Further, the type of travel encountered over bumpy land by such vehicles makes the operation of the handle bar steering means heavy, thus causing a driver to become tired after a ride of many hours. Also, the loads that can be carried by such vehicles is restricted, and their structures do not permit carrying of passengers.
Accordingly, a four wheeled vehicle operated by a driver in a sitting posture and having a round steering wheel has been proposed. In this type of four wheeled vehicle, the arrangement or layout of the steering device and the driving device is quite different from that employed in a four wheeled vehicle operated by a driver in a horseback riding posture, and its chassis is, therefore, constructed such as to be suited to this new arrangement and to ensure easy maintenance and easy access to the seat. It also has a structure which allows a relatively large load to be carried, as well as a number of passengers.
This chassis structure will be described below with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. A main frame 1 is a flat underframe, and has a narrowed front portion. A steering device supporting frame 3 is mounted on the front portion of the main frame 1. A portion of the main frame 1 which is behind the steering device supporting frame 3 forms a flat floor plate mounting section 4. Both sides of this floor plate mounting section 4 are provided with horizontally laid step mounting frames 5. A seat mounting frame 6 is mounted on the main frame 1 behind the floor plate mounting section 4. Behind and connected to the seat mounting frame 6, and at the rear end of the main frame 1, is mounted an engine supporting frame 7. The engine supporting frame 7 has upper sides 7a at the midpoint of which the engine supporting frame 7 is supported by inclined frames 2 connected to the rear end of the main frame 1. A space below the engine supporting frame 7 and the seat mounting frame 6 forms a driving device mounting space 8.
With the thus-arranged chassis, the steering device supporting frame 3 can carry, as shown by a solid line in FIG. 7, a steering device 12 comprising a steering column shaft 12a, an intermediate shaft 12b, and a rack and pinion gear 12c; a shock absorbing device comprising a known strut 13a, a knuckle arm 13b, and a lower arm (not shown); and a shift control device 14. On the floor plate mounting section 4 can be mounted a floor plate 15, and on the step mounting frames 5 provided at the both sides of the floor plate mounting section 4 can be mounted steps. A seat 17 can be supported on the seat mounting frame 6. A load-carrying platform 18 can be supported on the engine supporting frame 7 in such a manner that is extends rearward from a point immediately behind the seat 17. The driving device mounting space 8 located below the seat mounting frame 6 and the engine supporting frame 7 can accommodate an engine 19 and a power train 20 in such a manner that these devices do not protrude below the main frame 1.
When the various devices and members are mounted on the chassis in the above-described manner, the steering device 12 and the shock absorbing device 13 supported on the steering device supporting frame 3 are exposed at the front portion of the car body, leaving a possibility of these devices being damaged by mud splashed onto them by the wheels. Also, it is necessary to provide mudguards above front wheels 21 that are supported by an independent suspension system (not shown) on both sides of the main frame 1. To cope with this situation, it is general practice for a fender to be employed which serves as a body covering the front portion of the car body, as well as covering the front wheels 21 in place of mudguards. Such a fender also needs to be capable of being easily assembled from a small number of parts.